Thomas Tan
Brilliant floats lit up the major streets of Kuala Lumpur last Tuesday in a grand tourist procession to celebrate Wesak day.
The floats attracted tens of thousands of locals and foreign tourists who lined both sides of the street to witness the procession.
Over 20,000 Buddhist devotees from all walks of life, young and old and holding candles in the shape of a lotus flower and chanting hymns trailed the procession.
Monks in saffron robes sitting on floats blessed the devotees and the crowd.
In Bukit Bintang, scores of foreign tourists had an unforgettable experience seeing the amazing floats against the backdrop of the crowded street and listening to the hymns as chanting devotees followed behind. Many were mesmerised by the beauty and grandeur of these floats.
The crowd was also entertained with lively cultural performances by lion dance troups and traditional dancers of Verapitiya Dance Group from Kiribathgoda in Sri Lanka.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Dr Koh Tsu Koon, launched the procession at 7.30 pm in the temple and led the parade with chief monk of Buddhist Maha Vihara and chief high priest of Malaysia, Venerable K Sri Dhammaratana Nayaka Maha Thera and vice-president of the Malaysian Buddhist Association Venerable Ming Ji.
The 27 floats began their 12km trek at 7.30 pm at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, and passed through major streets in popular tourist destinations of Bukit Bintang, Chinatown and Brickfields.
Wesak Day is celebrated to commemorate Buddha’s birthday, enlightenment and death, and corresponds to the fifteenth day of the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
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